24 Hour Story
by Jameson
Summary: Phong is a young sprite in the twin cities trying to live his dream of being Command.com, but before he can he has to prove himself to the current official, will this eccentric sprite's test be too much for him? Maybe not if he has help from his friends


24 Hour Story

"I give him a second max."

Phong looked up from his notepad with his eyebrows raised. "Being a little critical, no?"

"Phong! Look at him!" The young spite beside him pointed. She hung out the ticket window of the theatre where she worked. "He's, like a week old!"

Phong shook his head and returned to his studies. "I do not regard placing bets on the deaths of figureheads a healthy pastime."

She spiked her orange eyebrows at him, snickering. "Says the guy who's vying for his job after he goes."

Phong looked back to her pointedly. "But I am not making bets."

The one binome beside him stood up and regarded the pentacle windows floating in the golden sky above their sister city of Mainframe. "Berners is really really old, Analog, I think a second is too generous. I give him cycle or two… three if he's been taking energy pills."

Analog laughed down at him. "You say that every time and he hasn't been erased yet."

The one binome shrugged. "One of these seconds I'll be right."

"Logical conclusion." Phong said, absently. He'd been pouring over .txts for hours attempting to fulfill his dream. Ever since he was a young sprite he had wanted to be and now his chance had come. Alliance's was still young and able. Berners, however, was on his last leg.

"Attention Citizens of Mainframe," the old sprite said via vidwindow, "this is the Principle Office. Prepare for powerdown and upgrade. I repeat, prepare for powerdown and upgrade."

Analog wrinkled her nose. "He sounds kind of like that walrus doesn't he?"

"You mean from that one game?" The binome asked. "The sled race one?"

"S, I didn't know you were there." Analog said.

S leveled his eye critically. "I got stuck in a tree. I saw the whole thing."

Analog laughed out loud. "That's right, you're the lucky one."

"Shut up." S snarled.

Across the bridge the lights of the city flickered off. Traffic stopped. All became silent. Analog sighed. "What do you think they'll get?"

"According to upgrade records, Mainframe has received mostly software upgrades and os plugins." Phong said, informatively. "Last time it was a processor that allowed DOS to be translated more quickly across the city. We, however, are still working on the old 3.1 interface."

"Perhaps we'll get that one next time. Our upgrade's in, what? A minute, right?"

"More like two." Phong told her. "But it will come soon enough if you just have some patience."

"I think you'll make a great some day." Analog told him. "You already sound like one."

"Hmm?" He looked up from a system schematic, interested.

Analog waved a hand. "Nevermind."

The three of them sat there and waited, watching over the lifeless city. S began to tap a foot impatiently. "Taking a while, isn't it?"

"Maybe Berners finally deleted." Analog kidded.

Phong was outraged. "Ana! That is not a laughing matter."

"No really, he was about to install the upgrade, had an encoding failure, reformatted and died." Analog said. "Its simple enough."

"You're kinda morbid." S said, flatly.

"So are you." Phong told him, scrolling down on the notepad. "Whatever is happening over there, I am sure that Berners is fine. He has to meet with me tomorrow."

"So he must live so you can have a meeting?" Ana mused. "That figures."

"I need to make a good impression so my name is in the running when the position becomes available." Phong told her. "If he does not know who I am, all my studies will be for nothing and I will have to wait until Lee finally gives up or erases before I get a second chance."

"Who's morbid now?" S rolled his eye. "Should we start placing bets on OUR not." Analog suggested. "Lee's hot. I don't want him deleted any time soon."

The two on the ground exchanged glances. S rolled his eye again.

Ana glanced down the street. "Why in the Net is business so slow? For crying out loud WE'RE not powered down! I've been sitting here doing nothing for minutes! Someone come see a control array already!"

"Is there not a single person in there?" Phong asked, glancing through the door pane.

Ana put her head on her fist. "Maybe a game will drop on us."

"Games hate me." S groaned. "And I hate it when you drag us into them."

"The Mainframe games are more fun." Ana sighed. "More processing power. But I'll take another walrus sled game over this."

"I do not have time for games." Phong announced. "No time at all. I must familiarize myself with Mainframe's system properties before tomorrow. Perhaps I can dazzle Berners with my knowledge and gain his favor."

"Oh yeah, the old clod will be really impressed by your trivia skills." Said S snidely.

Phong put the notepad down and stretched. Still a young sprite, he'd spent most of his 24 hours studying. As a result, he'd compiled up to match his lifestyle. His robotic limbs were thin and gangly and his head was little big for his shoulders. He crossed his arms and looked critically over at S. "And what, exactly, have you done recently to plan your future? Have you thought about how you are going to process for the rest of your life?"

"S is for slug." Ana said. "Don't expect him to do much of anything."

"S is NOT for slug." The binome growled. "For the last time Analog, would you cut it out with the name thing! My name is S just S!"

"Fine fine." Ana grinned.

The lights across the bridge came on and the sky faded back to blue. A new building shimmered and took shape in Kit's sector by the docks, growing tall among the other buildings of mainframe. Phong stood and stared intently. "Look! It appears they have a new computation program! That's fabulous!"

"Great, another place to crunch numbers." Ana sighed. "I was hoping for a zip board stadium or something."

"A zip board stadium could not dream to match this new program's potential." Phong enlightened her. "This will mean new jobs and greater productivity for Mainframe! It is a symbol of things to come. Perhaps the people of Alliance will be able to take advantage of it!"

"Since we'll never get one." S said. "We never get anything good."

Ana looked at her watch. "I'm on break in 01100. You guys wanna get an energy shake or something?"

"That would be fine." Phong agreed. "But, could I request we go somewhere else. There is something about the energy shakes the consessions serve here they taste… tinny…"

"It might be the inside of your gold mouth." S said.

Phong looked down at the binome with disdain. "Then explain why everything does not taste tinny to me, S. I will give you a macro, and I expect your answer in writing."

"You slay me, Phong." S deadpanned.

Analog pounded her fists on the counter. "UGGG!" The other two jumped and looked to her. "Will someone come BUY A TICKET! The boredom is going to ERASE me!"

"Calm down, my friend." Phong said, motioning with his hands. "Try to look on the positive side. You should be thankful."

"Yeah, you're being paid for doing nothing." S spat.

"Perhaps we can make things a little more interesting for you." Phong suggested. "I have some historical logs here, would you like me to read them to you?"

"No, Phong, please." Ana bade. "That's nice, but that might delete me faster."

Phong put a thin gold and purple hand to his chin. He received sudden inspiration. "I know! I just found this new code in one of Alliance's program folders. Perhaps it will entertain you until your break." He opened a vid input window and pulled up a code game. Ana was surprised.

"Wow Phong, that'll actually work! Good job being helpful for a change."

Phong blinked slowly at her. "I do what I can."

The next second Phong was up bright and early. He had a lot to gather before his appointment with Berners, and couldn't help being a bit nervous. Ana and S, along with their friend Nii, had agreed to escort him to the Mainframe Principle Office. He was still cramming as they zipped through town.

"Powerdown procedures occur only after the shield is up… no wait, once the power goes down the shield drops. No, the shield drops after an upgrade is complete, and stays on while the system runs in safe mode…. This was so simple to understand last second!"

"Give it up already, Phong, you'll be fine!" Ana assured him, pulling up beside. "You've got all the information you'll ever need inside that gold head of yours. You don't need to stuff any more in there at the last nano."

Phong sighed and closed the notepad. "I feel you are right, but I cannot seem to help it. I am sure he will ask me the one question I forgot to cover in my research and then all of my studying will be for nothing!"

"I'm not scared for you Phong!" Nii cried, the numeral a little awkward on his zip board. "You were studying at graduation. You were studying at senior prom! You were studying when you were supposed to be studying something else! You've got to be ready!"

"Besides, Berners is so old he's probably forgotten it all anyway." S added, turning the corner ahead of them.

Ana noticed the circuit racing track a block ahead. "Hey! After your little chat we should do some racing! That'll be fun!"

"I don't like circuit racing." Nii said. "Its scary and I can hardly fit in the cars!"

"Where's your sense of adventure?" Ana asked the number 2. "I mean really? Circuit racing is exciting! Exciting is good!"

"You never change." S told her.

Ana frowned at them "Fine, I'll go get some friends I know from around here. They're sprites. They'll circuit race with me! You guys are too basic to appreciate the thrill of a good race!"

The binome and the numeral were appalled. "WHAT!"

Ana grinned evilly. "Lesser lifeforms."

Phong was amused. "You are terrible Ana."

The friends broke company at the door of the PO, leaving the Asian-style sprite to cross the suspension bridge and face the on his own. Phong swallowed hard and approached the orb-like building slowly, staring upward. He'd come to see this place many times, but this would be the first time he'd go inside. The possibilities seemed trans-finite, yet the pit of his stomach turned in uncertainty. His hopes could be dashed in the next micro or two and then his whole life's dream would be null. Despite all this, he had no choice, he had to face it head on.

The guards at the door had been informed of his appointment and let him stand in the cavernous foyer to wait for Berners. The building was marble inside and out. Light bounced off the polished surfaces, illuminating the entire hall and leaving no shadows. Phong's gold eyes followed the columns up to the ceiling towering above him. He ceased being awestruck at the echoing sounds of Berners's footsteps coming up the hall.

It took a long time for the old sprite to reach him, considering the room's size and the figure's slow gait. Berners was short and rodent-like in his appearance with a long nose and wide-set eyes. His short legs caused him to waddle a bit, and he weezed as he moved, making Phong feel like the sprite was going as fast as he could. The visitor walked a ways into the hall to meet the old man. It seemed like every step Berners didn't need to take was a blessing.

"Hello young sprite." The greeted after a moment to catch his breath. He held his 'o's and 's's a little long as he spoke. Phong bowed honorably to him. They were at about eye level when Phong was fully bent. Berners clapped his hands and Phong straightened back up. "Very very snazzy boy! That was better than a handshake to this old sprite! I am Berners, And you… you are…?" He seemed to search for the name in his memory.

"Phong." The gold sprite answered. "It is, truly, a great honor to meet you sir. I have always admired the work of the I figured you were one of those young people looking for my job." Berners replied. Phong tried to protest but Berners just laughed hoarsely. "It is alright. Come, we shall go to my office."

Phong followed the sprite slowly down the halls of the Principle Office noting the Spartan décor and gridlike hallways. He suspected the building had been unchanged since its initial programming back at the birth of Mainframe. It was hard to believe that all the processing decisions of the city were made within those walls. When Berners opened the door to his office, however, Phong received a shock. Wood paneled and carpeted, the room was decked out in plaid and fur to the 'n'th degree. Berners had photos of his family and friends aging pale on half of his desk. The other half seemed plagued with knick knacks.

Berners hoisted himself into the desk chair, letting out a groan as he finally came to rest. "So, Prong, tell me about yourself."

Phong cleared his throat, thought it wise to ignore the name error, and answered. "Well, all my life I have dreamed of becoming have studied long and hard in hopes of attaining that position one day."

"Yes?"

"I did well in school. I graduated with honors in all programming languages and algorithmic subjects."

"Yes?"

"I…I live in Alliance at the moment, but Mainframe is such an exciting city, I thought perhaps I would live here someday." He was growing discouraged. If Berners didn't see potential in him now, he didn't know what else he could say to make his case.

Berners blinked. "Yes?"

"I suppose that is all I can report…" He felt basic; perhaps that trivia would help about now. "Congratulations on the upgrade last second. I am sure that computation module will effectively grow the business of the city."

Berners tapped two fingers together. Phong pressed his lips and fidgeted in the chair. The nose twitched. After a long, pregnant silence Berners popped open a vid window and pulled up a list. "I have been for four days now and I have yet to find a suitable new face to take over for me when I'm gone." He paused and looked at Phong. "Do you know why?"

The gold sprite debated over whether or not to answer him, but was soon excused from the question when Berners tired of waiting.

"It is because I haven't found someone with the proper balance of will and intelligence. Many candidates like you seem to think that they can earn their way into my chair through merit." Phong felt sick. "But what I really want to find out from you is whether or not you can handle the task managing demands of this office."

"Sir, I assure you…"

"So tell me, Prong," Berners said, looking up from the window, "about yourself."

Phong took a deep breath. As he'd told himself when he entered, this was his big chance. He went for it. "As I said, I am well studied. I have been delving into the .txts and available README files every since I was very young. I find it all fascinating and I only wish I could explore further into the inner procedures of the networked systems. My friends sometimes chide me on my interest in the subject. Three of them escorted me here today, a sprite named Analog, a binome named S and a numeral named Nii. They will be waiting for me when we are finished here, and it sounded to me like Analog wanted to play a little before we returned to Alliance. My parents live in the twin city, working for Lee. He lets me into the Read only room at the Alliance PO every now and again. I find him to be most charming, and I enjoy his sense of humor. He encourages young sprites to go into the games so that they may gather life experience as long as there are other game players with them to ensure victory. I have been in many games with my friends. We were joking about one last second while we watched the upgrade. I am sure what I have learned from all of the people I have met will help me in whatever I am to become. Their words and actions will be particularly inspiring if I am to become because through them I have learned the plights of the many peoples of Mainframe, the joy of play and the benefit of study. If there is anything else you wish to ask of me, I am ready to answer."

Berners seemed a little more pleased with this response. He leaned forward. "What did you do for your last birthday?"

"I…" Phong was taken off guard but answered as fluidly as he could, "I spent time with my friends and loved ones."

"What is your earliest memory as a child?"

"Alliance's first System upgrade." He stalled, he'd only been 1. "I thought the sky was pretty?"

"How do you like your RAM chips prepared?"

Phong tried to take a serious look at Berners. "Fresh?"

"What was the last Control Array you saw?"

Phong was starting to question the old sprite's sanity. He was over 90 hours old, perhaps he'd grown a bit random. His parents had told him a story once about just such an occurance…

The was waiting for his answer so he spoke. "I do not recall. Analog works a the theatre… I see a lot of control arrays."

Suddenly the system voice interrupted the interview. The two in the room looked up as if they could see the sky turn purple through the ceiling. "Warning, incoming game. Warning, incoming game."

Phong didn't move, games were nothing more than a minor inconvenience with so many sprites around to outplay the User. The last time a sector had been nullified he was still in primary school. But Berners had a crafty look on his face. In an asp-like motion the sprite plastered a receptor to the center of his guest's forehead. Phong had no time to react, never in his processing time would have imagined the old sprite to move so fast! He was fastened with the thin rectangular chip before he could defend himself. Berners plopped back down in his seat, gloating. "Get in the game."

Phong was flabbergasted. "What?"

"Hurry up and get in the game!" Berners said. "I want to see how you beat the User. Now go or you'll miss it!."

Phong staggered to his feet and moved out of the office in a daze, fingering the chip. This was totally random. Of all the things he'd expected from this interview, a physical test wasn't included. The system voice echoed overhead again and he popped his zip board. He had to do as the asked. He had to get into that game.

Bursting out of the Principle Office, he flew up over the tops of the buildings. The game was over near Baudway; if he rushed he could still make it. Binomes were running out of the cube's path under his feet. He noticed sprites moving toward the cube, but they'd never make it without zip boards. He left them behind and crouched low, skimming the pavement of the sector and squeezing under the floor of the game as it crashed down upon the system.

Inside the cube was a wooded stretch of land broken apart by sunny clearings and bits of fallen timbers. Phong reached back up to the sensor on his forehead. Securely attached. Berners was watching. He figured it would probably be best to find the User and finish the game as fast as possible, but planning could be done later, the first thing to do was to reboot.

His hand found his icon fastened at the beltline of his tunic-like red shirt and tapped it twice. His outfit changed to a long white hooded cloak adorned at the edge with a red diamond pattern. Phong's stringy body swam in the new costume, the headpiece nearly coming even to his high cheekbones in front of his face, and he took a moment to find his hands before sweeping back the hood and trudging through the underbrush. By the time he found the nearest clearing he'd snagged the train on practically every branch in the thicket and resorted to gathering he robes up under his arms to keep from stepping on them. The tall grass was a welcome sight. Perhaps the User would pass through there on his quest. Phong moved out into the sunlight with a positive attitude. After all, it was a wise sprite who once said 'Patience is it's own reward'. "And if I'm lucky the User will be dressed as outrageously as I am."

He heard a snap and jumped back when his foot came down on a set of dry bones. Staring down at the cracked ribs he had the eerie sense that, perhaps, he wasn't the only one to have found this field. A shadow raised a few paces ahead, arching stiffly off the ground. The shape became a ferocious lizard creature that spotted Phong's whiteness in an instant. The creature moved to attack him. It's shadow cast across his small frame as he edged backward toward the trees again.

"Oh dear…"

"Heeyah!"

Phong turned fast to see a figure dash up from the right, shredding leaves and branches with a heavy sword. The fighter leapt up and took aim at the monster's skull. With a hiss, the lizard swung its scaled head out of the way, leaving the sword stuck firmly in the ground.

The figure tumbled into the grass. "Aw cursors and crashes!" The figure jumped up from the dirt. Phong recognized the orange pigtails poking out over her headband. Analog scrambled quickly to her feet and grinned at him. "Hi Phong! We saw you and we're here to rescue you!"

"You certainly came fast… I was not aware I needed rescue until a nano ago."

"Just efficient I guess…" Ana said, then tried to wedge her weapon out of the ground. "I'll be with you in a micro though… I've got … something… I need to take care of first!"

The lizard turned and bared its fangs at her as S and Nii charged out of the same patch of trees. S was adorned with a wide hat and blue over cloak. He stopped and spread his hands. "Fire!"

A fireball burst before the lizard's eyes. It was driven back. Nii came to stand beside Phong. "What are you doing here! Weren't you at the Principle Office?"

"Well, you see…" A swipe of the lizard's tail caused a tree to crash behind them. They turned to find the monster attacking from a new angle. Phong rolled up his sleeves. "I believe it would be best if I saved the explanations for a later time."

Ana finally got her sword free. "Huzzah!" Craning it above her head she charged again.

S, Nii and Phong watched her rush past. The binome held out a hand. "Wait! Ana!"

Nii gasped, the arch of his number 2 shaped body contracting backward, the feather in his cap trembling with his fear. "She'll be deleted by that thing!"

Phong threw up a hand. "Sheild!" By the power of his magic a white orb appeared around her. The forcefield reflected the snap of the lizard, its head ricocheting off the surface.

Nii seemed to have new hope. "Good job, Phong!"

Ana took advantage of the moment and drove her sword upward through the beast, fragmenting it into digital dust. She staked her weapon in the ground and turned triumphantly toward her party. "Applause for me please? I think I just vanquished something!"

S groaned under his hat. "You vanquished something, sure, but you'd be erased if it wasn't for us."

"Would not." She retorted. "I didn't see you stick a sword in it! Come on!"

"Calmness, please." Phong bade. "We do not have much time. I must find the User and beat the game before I return to Berners to complete my interview."

"Why'd you break from it anyway?" S asked. "You're the last person we thought to find in here."

"Aparently he wants to watch me perform under pressure." Phong said. He pointed to his head. "That's what this chip is for."

Nii flopped his top to one side. "I just thought it was an accessory."

"We're allowed to help you right?" Ana asked. "Its not supposed to be something you do on your own?"

"I do not know what he expects from me." Phong said. "But, I feel it is imperative that I show him my individual nature. I intend to play this game as if it had nothing to do with him. And I would be honored to have your help."

"Let's get scouting then." S said, crossing his arms. "This forest is getting on my nerves."

"Then, where do we begin?" Phong asked.

"We thought the User might be headed north." Ana said. "There were tracks in those woods back there headed this way, and they weren't made by any lizard mind you."

"Then north it is." Phong agreed and the party began to move. It took a while to get through the field, then another patch of forest, but they finally arrived at dry grassland that stretched out before them for miles. Ahead they saw another foursome clear as day. By the way they moved in single file, it was instantly apparent they were game sprites. This was the User all right.

Analog was anxious. "Let's get him!"

"Will we ever reach him?" Nii asked. "He's so far ahead, and I don't run very fast."

"I'll catch him." Ana assured.

"Catching him may not be enough." Phong said. "Perhaps, if you take S with you, he can use his magic fire to bar their path."

"Good idea, Phong!" Ana agreed. She picked S up under one arm, the binome struggling vainly. "You two catch up! We'll have him cornered!"

They all took off at a sprint. Analog's sprite body was built for speed and performance. She and her luggage crossed the field quickly, her feet light to avoid any pitfalls. The head sprite in the user's team was a fighting type with a sword and heavy shield. His slow progress made the gap between them close in nanoseconds. When Analog felt they were close enough she lifted S above her head. "Okay! Do the fire thing!"

S groaned. "This is so embarrassing." But raised his hands anyway. "Fire!"

The dry grass ahead of the User took quickly, spreading a wall of flame in front of him. The enemy party stopped and turned to face their attackers just as Phong and Nii arrived. The User's party fanned out into attack position. Ana dropped S beside her and took up her sword. "Okay, Phong, now what to we do?"

"Well, we fight." He shrugged. "It appears that I have mostly defensive magic so when it comes to my turn I will strengthen the rest of you."

"And for us?" Nii asked, nervous.

Phong pulled his hood back up. "Pick a target?"

The User's team, a fighter, a monk, a black mage, and a red mage, took fighting stances, hit point figures floating above their heads. The red mage wore a hat like Nii's and attacked him with a dagger in each hand. The black mage cast ice magic on S. The monk jumped to smack Ana with his pair of nunchaku, and the fighter slashed at Phong with his sword. The action switched to the Alliancers S came out of fighting stance and gasped. "What gives? We couldn't move that whole time! What happened to defending ourselves, we just took it!"

Phong dropped to one knee. "When it is not our turn we apparently are subject to any action the opposing team takes. It is imperative that we use our turns wisely. I go first. Who is hurt most?"

"You are, Phong." Ana said, a little obviously.

He stood up. "Cure!" His white magic brought him back to full strength. "Hit the fighter if you can Ana, he seems to be the most powerful among them." Phong called to the other two down the line. "The fighter is our first target!"

Analog stepped up to take her turn, slicing down on the fighter with all her strength. S pulled up another fire attack and blasted the game sprite with it. The numeral was last and stood nervously. The other three looked at him, Ana a bit concerned. "What's wrong?"

"I'm no good at these games!" Nii fretted. "I don't know what to do!"

S rolled his eye under the shadow of his hat. "Oh dry up."

"Courage, my friend!" Phong called to him. "I remember a story I was told once about a sprite who was afraid, but against terrible odds he rose and conquered evil by the strength of his mind."

Nii's knees knocked together. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Phong shook his head. "I have no idea. But that sprite near you is wearing the same costume, perhaps you have the same abilities. Just concentrate and try to mimic his movements."

"Okay, concentrate…" Nii stopped. "Concentrate Concentrate Concentrate. Strength of my mind…" He remembered the Red Mage's attack and two daggers appeared in his hands. Nii grinned and lumbered over to the fighter to slash at him. The numbers above his head decreased greatly. When it was the User's turn again the fighter fell to one knee.

Ana cheered. "Alright! Good job Number2!"

The Red Mage cast 'Cure' on the fighter, the black mage attacked S with a water spell, the monk hit Ana again and the fighter slashed Phong with his sword. S frowned. "Predictable buggers aren't they?"

"Perhaps we can use this to our advantage." Phong said with a wince. "The Red sprite knows healing magic as I do. Ana and S attack him. Perhaps if we remove the healer the rest will fall in sequence."

"What about me?" Nii asked. "What do I do? I can't decide on my own."

"I have faith in you, Nii." Phong said. "Use your imagination. Apparently your abilities vary from fighting to magic. Perhaps you will discover something through experimentation. In any case, go ahead and use this fighter as a target."

"A-alright." The numeral consented.

Phong cast a shield over himself. Analog dashed across the plane to slice at the red mage. S cast another fire spell. When Nii's turn came he concentrated hard again. "Cure!" White magic swirled around Phong and healed him again.

The gold sprite turned. "Thank you, my friend! I thought you were going to attack the User."

"I thought you needed it more." Nii smiled at him.

When the User's turn came the Red mage fell down dead. The black mage cast lightning magic on S, the monk hit Analog, and the fighter struck Phong. The fighter's attack powers had been halved thanks to Phong's shield, but Ana and S were growing weary. The User's turn ended.

S groaned. "I can't keep this up much longer."

Phong cast 'Cure' on him and he straightened up. "That is better?"

"Yeah Phong, thanks." S said sarcastically.

Analog frowned at him. "S is for Selfish."

"S is not – ANA!"

"Serves you right!" The girl charged up and sliced down on the fighter again, removing a decent amount of hit points. "Now take your turn, Stupid"

"I'll get you when we get out of here." S growled and cast 'Fire' on the fighter.

Nii wound up with another cure. "I'll heal you Ana, okay?" The numeral closed his eyes tightly and concentrated hard on the spell. He restored the monk across from her on accident. "Ahh? Oops?"

"Great job, Nii!" S cried. "Why don't we just transfer you over there?"

"Calmness… calmness…" Phong bade. "It was an honest mistake. That sprite was at full strength anyway, no harm done."

"You say that." S spat.

Phong felt his body freeze up. "It is their turn now, try to put it out of your mind."

The black mage hit S with fire magic. The binome started shouting at him. "Hey! MY SPELL! BAD!"

The monk hit Ana and the fighter hit Phong. Nii was left staring at an empty spot and noticed the brushfire had eaten its way closer to them while they fought. "Uh.. .guys?"

The turns switched and Ana dropped to one knee. "User, this is getting old."

"I am here for you, Ana." Phong said. "Cure."

"Guys! The fire's still coming!" Nii called over their heads. "It's spread a lot since S started it a micro ago!"

"Why do we care, Nii?" S asked, still angry. "Its more dangerous to them then us!"

"That is a good point, S!" Phong cried. "Perhaps if we can drive them back they will be injured by the flame!"

"And how do you propose that?" S shot back. "They're frozen remember? They can't move until it's their turn!"

"But we can move!" Phong said. "Everyone take a step forward. If this works, the User's team will be forced to take a step backward on their next turn to maintain the distance. We can press them into the fire and win the game."

"We'll give it a try, Phong, but I'm not sure it'll work." Analog replied. "These guys are basic enough, they may just stay where they're standing even when we're nose to nose with them."

"We will not get that close." Phong assured her. "Now everybody step." The line moved forward. "Very good. Now, Ana, I believe it is your turn."

"Right about that!" Ana swung her sword into the fighter again. His numbers dropped. "I'll delete this sucker soon, I'm sure."

"And I'm going to fix what Nii botched." S announced. "Fire!" A fireball burst around the monk. Nii looked ashamed.

"Don't worry, Nii!" Analog assured him. "Just give it your best shot!"

"Okay." He defaulted to the daggers again, running up to slash at the fighter. When their turn was over the fighter fell down dead as well. The other two sprites moved back a step, just as Phong had suspected.

"Good call!" Ana congratulated him. "We'll have this game licked yet!"

The black mage shot Phong with ice magic. The monk attacked him as well. Their turn ended to the sound of Nii's voice. "They're stealing our tactic!"

"Don't worry, they'll be erased before they take him out." Ana said. "Heal yourself, Phong!"

"Alright." He agreed. "Everyone take a step forward again." They did so and he cast 'Cure'.

Ana attacked the monk. "Hey, Nii, how close are we to the fire, huh?"

"Pretty close." Nii said. "It's burning its way over here anyway."

"Fire!" S blasted the black mage with his favorite spell. Nii sliced the same sprite with his daggers.

The Users stepped backward again on their turn. The black mage cast water on Phong. The monk deviated and hit Nii. The numeral started to cry.

"Why is it picking on me?"

"It is almost over." Phong said. The group moved forward another step. Phong put a shield on the number 2, Ana sliced the monk, S burned the mage, Nii cured himself.

When the two User sprites stepped back again they hit the flame. It wounded them and they bounced back out, not deleted, but with lower hit points. The black mage cast 'Fire' on Phong. The Monk had fallen to one knee and rushed out to batter Ana. She was still healthy from Phong's spell.

"Everyone attack the magic user!" Phong instructed. "Except, Ana, continue hitting your opponent. He is almost erased, you will probably defeat him."

"Yes sir!"

"The fire's getting closer still." Nii called. "Do we step forward?"

"No, stay where you are for now." Phong said. "That strategy has served its time."

"I've got a good feeling this game is over." S said. "And I don't have a good feeling about much."

Phong put up a shield on S for good measure, his luck in games infamous. Ana sent one final stab through the monk, watching his hit points drop to the single digits. S and Nii attacked the black mage as instructed.

When their turn was up the Users were in the fire again. The Monk dropped to the ground in the flames, but the Black mage bounced out. He'd gone pretty much unscathed through the entire battle and was ready to fight. He cast thunder magic on Phong, ending his turn.

Phong was still protected by his magic, and completed the set by putting a shield over Ana. Victory was inevitable. He turned to the others. "Take a step back, my friends. We should keep a safe distance from the User. Take heart! These could be the final rounds."

"Everyone give it their best!" Ana cried. "HEEYA!" She sliced down on the mage and watched for his hit points. He had a long way to go before erasure. S and Nii went through their attacks and ended their turn. The black mage was hit again by the tailing flame, then cast 'Thunder' on Phong. Phong healed himself and Ana attacked the mage with her sword. She'd made a critical hit, the user's HP took a nosedive into the double digits. "Alright!"

"I'll take him out!" S called. "Fire!" The mage still stood.

Nii stepped up. "Maybe I'll kill him!" he cross-slashed the User with his daggers.

When the turn changed the mage was seared with fire. It dropped to one knee, then hit the dirt face down. Dead. The Alliancers let out a cheer as the system voice declared 'Game Over'. When the cube lifted, Berners was there.

"That was magnificent." He said, waddling over with a graphical interface open in his hand. "You won the game."

"Yes sir." Phong bowed. "But I could not have done it alone, sir. My friends were my strength throughout the fight."

"So I saw." The said, reaching up to pop the chip off the young sprite's face. "You relied on others to perform your task."

"But it wasn't a bad thing!" Analog cried, rushing to Phong's defense. "A sprite needs to rely on other people! That's where any of us get our strength from: each other!"

Berners eyed her curiously. "What of the strength of the will? The strength of the spirit of the individual. A leader must have personal strength to take command of his people."

"I think a good leader needs to know how to listen to the opinions of others." S said. "Ana's right. Any leader who tries to do everything by himself will probably offline the system in a cycle."

Berners made eye contact with Phong. "You are letting your friends speak for you."

Phong tried to answer but Nii butted in, pleading with Berners. "Sir! Phong's a nice guy! You must have seen in the game how he helped us all out. You gotta give him a chance!"

"Nii, please," Phong bade, "I appreciate the support, but I feel this is not the time."

"I'm sorry." Nii moved sadly aside. Phong stepped through the crowd of his friends to stand before Berners, towering above him on spindly legs, but possessing a graciously humble air that both empowered and humanized him. The gold sprite bowed his head to the watched my progress in the game through your receptor. You noted my actions and weighed my decisions. I feel sure that whatever you needed to discover about my character and my behavior in the event of danger is in evidence here. I trust your judgment, sir, and I believe in myself enough to know that if I did not pass your test it was by no fault of mine. What I am is what I am, and that is all I can offer."

Berners twitched his rat like nose and pawed his chin through a moment of silence. The two of them stared at each other.

"Hmmmmm…"

Analog, S, and Nii exchanged glances.

Berners scanned Phong up and down, then returned to his golden eyes. "Hmmmm…." The old sprite pivoted slowly and began to waddle away. "Hmmmm…" He loaded himself into a waiting CPU and moved off toward the Principle Office. Phong and friends watched until he was out of sight.

Nii looked to Phong. "What – What does that mean?"

"Was that it?" Ana asked. "Is the interview over now?"

"I told you he was random." S said, crossing his arms.

"Did you get the job?" Nii asked. "Does that mean he got the job, Ana?"

"I think he did!" Analog said optimistically. "I mean with all our testimonials…"

"Phong just totally told him off!" S cried. "Besides, the interview wasn't with us…"

Phong put the tips of his fingers together in thought, then looked up to the Principle Office again. "I believe he was taken off guard." He said. The others listened. "Berners told me he was used to candidates trying to think their way into his favor. I believe he will take a long time puzzling over me. Yes, I will be on his mind for many seconds to come." The others paused but took heart. He had a smile on his face. "That was the goal after all, was it not? To make him remember who I am as he passes on his position. My friends, I feel good about this. I feel very good." He turned gladly to them. "Let us see some sights, but then let us go home. I am ready for a rest from all of this studying." They nodded and popped their zip boards. He glanced one last time over his shoulder at the Principle Office. "Playing a game to prove your worth was not so random, really. Not at all."

End Prog-


End file.
